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Sunday, 19 February 2012

Killing thousands to make millions

In days, Swiss pharma giant Novartis may get the Indian Supreme Court to shut down our supply of affordable medicines. If Novartis wins, it will prevent Indian companies from producing low-cost medicines, depriving millions around the world of the treatments they desperately need. The final hearing is in days -- let’s call on Novartis to drop the case with a massive Indian public outcry.

In days, a multi-billion dollar Swiss pharma company may get the Indian Supreme Court to shut down our supply of affordable medicines. Only we can stop this outrage.Novartis is suing our government so it can squeeze more profits from the sick and needy. If Novartis wins, it will threaten Indian companies’ ability to produce low-cost medicines for malaria, AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening diseases, depriving millions around the world of the treatments they desperately need and threatening thousands of Indian jobs. But people power can push Novartis to drop the suit before the final ruling.One man is masterminding this stealthy attack on the health of millions -- Ranjit Shahani, who heads Novartis India and India’s massively powerful pharmaceutical lobby group. When 100,000 people have signed the petition we’ll stage hard hitting actions targeting Shahani by name and push him to drop the case:http://www.avaaz.org/en/stop_novartis_in_india/?cl=1595736849&v=12682India is a shining light in the global health community -- as the world’s largest supplier of affordable medicines, it has saved the lives of millions across the developing world who otherwise cannot afford sky-high Western prices for essential drugs. India’s patent law, which prevents big pharmaceuticals from keeping expensive patent deadlocks on life saving medicines, has made this possible. But for years, big pharmas have tried to overturn this vital law in hopes of unlocking a goldmine, at the expense of the world’s sick and poor. Novartis has hired an army of lawyers to kill the patent law and win monopoly rights over an essential cancer drug. If Novartis wins, the price of the drug would increase 10-fold to a whopping Rs.1,28,000 per month! Even worse, it would clear the way for big companies to patent all sorts of essential drugs, jeopardizing the future of the Indian pharmaceutical industry and the lives of millions who rely on Indian medicines. An Indian public outcry could force the company drop the lawsuit. And Swiss members are also piling on the pressure, targeting Novartis in its hometown. Let’s overwhelm the mastermind behind this immoral lawsuit by flooding Novartis India president Shahani with hundreds of thousands of messages now. When we hit 100,000 signers, we’ll make sure our action makes headlines across India and Switzerland in time for Novartis’ annual stockholders meeting next week:http://www.avaaz.org/en/stop_novartis_in_india/?vlAccess to affordable medicine is a fundamental human right -- no company should have the power to take this away from anyone in the name of greed. Let's come together and defend the rights of the world’s patients against big pharmas, and help decide the outcome in this battle of people vs. profits. With hope,Jamie, Alex, Emma, Shibayan, Ricken, Caroline, Shivendra and the whole Avaaz teamMore info: A victory for Novartis could spell death for millions (The Hindu)http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2427529.eceNovartis vs India: the court will decide (New Internationalist)http://www.newint.org/features/web-exclusive/2011/11/29/novartis-india-patent-case/Indian Supreme Court To Hear Novartis Challenge To India’s Patent Law (IP Watch)http://www.ip-watch.org/2011/09/06/indian-supreme-court-to-hear-novartis-challenge-to-india-patent-law/Novartis fights patent rejection in Indian court (WIBV)http://www.wivb.com/dpp/health/cancer/novartis-fights-patent-rejection-in-indian-courtThe war against Novartis is not yet won (Info Change)http://infochangeindia.org/other/analysis/the-war-against-novartis-is-not-yet-won.html